Ever since I started getting piercings I had always been fascinated by the process, and of course, finished product of Corset Piercings. But having a low pain tolerance, and just blatantly being scared, I resisted venturing into such a raw and beautiful form until after I had several other pieces done. Finally, on an evening that seemed in need of some commemoration, I worked up the courage to finally head to the shop and begin the process.
At A Glance Author Nemesis Contact Nemesis@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Sean Dowdell and Frank (?) Studio Club Tattoo Location Apache between McClintock and Rural in Tempe, AZ It was the night before a show I was already excited about. Adding new holes to the mix just seemed to be the perfect way to kick off a very cool event. I showed up a little before 8:00 PM, I think and was swept into the piercing room. I unbuttoned the boyfriend's shirt I was wearing and listened as Sean and Frank told me how they were going to begin. As is customary in the shop all points of entry and exit would be previously marked. One piercer would hold and roll the skin while the other pierced. It is my prerogative to not use clamps even though I don't see how it would have been possible on skin as taught as a person's back. They used 12 gauge O-captive rings.
It took somewhere between 30-60 minutes to painstakingly mark out every single puncture point, 36 in all—18 rings. When they were done I was allowed to look and make sure the gentle arcs on each side of my spine were perfectly mirrored after all of the careful measurement. I was cold, sweaty, but still very intent upon the process. Sean and Frank began to set up and I laid myself down on my stomach. My best friend was there to hold my hand because as tough as I thought I was, I knew I was going to break down into a puddle once the needles started going.
In minutes we were ready to rock and roll. Sean would be holding for Frank down my left side. I was told to breath in, then out and in again as he set the needle into my skin and then followed through. It wasn't nearly as bad as I was setting myself up for. Yet. He started at my shoulder and worked his way to my waist. By the time he reached the bottom, my back was quivering with sensation and I had to concentrate to breathe. The worst for me is always when the jewelry follows the needle. And after 9 times of this, I wasn't feeling all that collected anymore. Thankfully my endorphins began to kick in as he finished the side, because the last ring seemed to pinch and stay that way.
We all took a quick breather as I pried my hand off of my poor best friend's. I didn't realize I had been holding so tightly. I turned my head to face the other way and we were ready to begin the right side. This time Frank held and Sean pierced. The same basic technique was used; breathing a few seconds and then following through, but Sean doesn't set the needle in first, which I actually prefer. Two rings into the right side, it started getting harder to keep a straight face and calm breathing. Every time anything so much as brushed against my back I twitched and cringed. I kept most of my composure until somewhere around the last 3 when I finally just began to cry out against the exiting needles and let more tears than I intended escape my eyes.
When all the rings were in placed I was given a moment to breathe until I was ready to be laced. Frank wanted to lace me pretty tightly, and I think I would have preferred a tighter fit, but my back disagreed. Every time the ribbon touched my skin I felt like I was being slapped, my back was so sensitive. It took a couple of tries to get the right ribbon length, get the lacings even and finally tied. There was still a lot of stress on the top and bottom rings, which made it hard to move normally. They took a few shots "for the wall" and with gentle hugs I was let out into the world.
The first hour was ok, tingly but ok. But soon the rings began to feel as though they were fighting the lacings and a burning took over my back. I laid myself stomach first on my living room floor and gingerly unlaced myself, desperate to relieve some of the pressure. Unlacing did help a little but for the first five minutes after doing it, I wished I hadn't. The burning increased as the rings slid into an upright position. I broke down and cried as though my cat had died and just sat there fighting against this strange, overwhelming pain engulfing my body. My shoulders tensed up and it was hard to breathe. I called the shop to tell them I'd be in first thing in the morning to pull them.
I think I cried more with disappointment for having to pull the rings as well as disappointment with myself for not being tough enough to keep them. Though they were only temporary, overnight was just too temporary. The rings slid out easily the next morning and the pain subsided over the course of only a few hours. The fresh holes only bled a little and today there are barely any marks of reminder from the whole ordeal.
A few weeks after I had them removed, the shop had the pictures up on the wall and copies for me. I had to fight back a wave of self-anger when I saw how beautiful they had been. And looking back, even the pain was enjoyable and beautiful for me. There is a bantering around of possibly doing it again sometime, fewer rings of course. But overall I have absolutely no regrets. I loved the piercing result, and even the process. I was able to prove to myself that even though I couldn't handle the pain, I did withstand it.